The Choir - Last straw

[Stillhomewardbound]

Sorry to be a source of negative criticism but this programme which I had once enjoyed has become utterly pathetic drivel. An unseemly mess of gurning Blue Peter gush redolent of the most feeble local radio.

It's off now and becomes yet another no-go zone in the Radio 3 schedule for me.

I know it's not accepted on this forum to malign presenters by name but so prevalent a presence has this particular host become all over the network that I'm inclined to quote Oscar Wilde verdict on the garish wallpaper in his hotel room at the end of his life ...

One of has to go!

[subcontrabass]

It's off now and becomes yet another no-go zone in the Radio 3 schedule for me.

I do not know how you could have survived it for so long. I gave up after two weeks of the current regime. I also sent a message to the programme to explain why. This has, not unsurprisingly, elicited no response beyond the computer generated acknowledgement of receipt.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

SM-P should be found alternative employment.

[Sir Velo]

Have you tried listening to her programmes on Composers' Rooms?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/series/r3cr

They really are sui generis.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

They really are sui generis.

Do you mean this in a complimentary way... or other…?

[french frank]

To recast the deathless prose of Mr James Corden, of Gavin and Stacy, in addressing a high profile critic of BBC Three:

"This not a programme for you, it is not a programme that you should even ever listen to. In fact, if you don't listen to it, and you don't like it, it is doing everything it should."

Which is us told. Oh for Choirworks (which was 'for us').

[Sir Velo]

Do you mean this in a complimentary way... or other…?

I wouldn't dare seek to influence anyone else's judgement.

[decantor]

OTOH, threads such as this do offer a useful service. I haven't listened to The Choir for many weeks, but am inclined to fret on Sundays that I might miss a gem. Thus I welcome the occasional reassurance that all gems are still safely locked in their box, and that Uncle Rog has presumably thrown away the key.

[subcontrabass]

OTOH, threads such as this do offer a useful service. I haven't listened to The Choir for many weeks, but am inclined to fret on Sundays that I might miss a gem. Thus I welcome the occasional reassurance that all gems are still safely locked in their box, and that Uncle Rog has presumably thrown away the key.

If the producer(s) cannot be bothered to give us advance notice of any gems (e.g. in the form of a detailed playlist) why should we bother to listen?

[Honoured Guest]

Is there a brief summary of content at the top of the show? If so, listeners to Choral Evensong could stay tuned for a further couple of minutes to get enough detail to make a decision as to whether to listen to any section of that week's edition of The Choir.

[Stillhomewardbound]

Well, HG ... this week's genius hook for the show was 'why not share with us your most singable choral pieces', though it then seemed to morph into 'favourite national anthems we have loved', or such.

Now, I personally am not sure how one arrives at a definition of 'singability' and the specialist studio guest really seemed just as perplexed.

It's simply a term that, at all levels of music making, I've never really heard anyone use. Rather as if to say, 'why not text us and tell us which cars you've found really driveable', or which kind of eggs do you find are particularly fryable?

The whole concept seemed antipathetic to the conceit of a radio programme which is supposed to celebrate and explore the riches of choirs and the choral tradition.

This exercise was akin to the worst 'your favourite 100 hymns' reductionism.

What I resent most of all though was the implication, or the imagining, that the land is populated with community choirs that aspire only to a bit of roistering, 'sing-songanism'.

My personal experience has been that even in the lowliest of choirs there's an appetite for a challenge and it's becoming very much a disgrace that the presenter and producer of this show seem to have virtually no genuine feel for the genre on which they are reporting.

As for that 'singable' term - well, it's about as sensible as Graham Chapman in Monty Python and 'woody' words.

[W.Kearns]

I read these postings with much fellow-feeling, huge regret and a vast array of questions beginning 'why?'

Why doesn't BBC Radio 3 listen to its core supporters? Why is a bright presenter apparently at pains to hide her knowledge and dilute her skills? Why do BBC bods assume that listeners have no use for scholarly contributors? Why do the reasoned comments of intelligent listeners receive only auto-replies? (Height of discourtesy, to my mind). No doubt people reading this board have more....

The real frustration is that here we are, remembering happier times and smarting from repeated kicks in the teeth, and there is apparently nothing on earth that we can do about it.

[ardcarp]

I wonder if there is anyway of finding out whether The Choir, in its new format, has attracted a huge new listenership? There has undoubtedly been a big increase in 'the community choir' phenomenon. In other words, people who have not sung in choirs before and probably don't read music find pleasure in singing together, often under the leadership of hearty and enthusing individuals. This can only be a good thing whether it's inspired by the Gareth Malone tendency, suggested health benefits, or social reasons. The question is, are THEY tuning into The Choir on Sundays? I've asked a few and they're not even aware of the programme's existence....but that's not a scientific survey. How do we find out?

[jean]

I've been wondering that.

But from talking to other people in the choirs I sing in, mostly devoted to early music, I'm surprised to find that they haven't noticed any difference.

This seems to be largely because they haven't ever listened to it anyway, in any of its incarnations

[french frank]

I wonder if there is anyway of finding out whether The Choir, in its new format, has attracted a huge new listenership? ... How do we find out?

There is no way, other than bribing people who have access to the BBC's confidential listening figures - all such information is exempt under the FOI. Though they will possibly give you the answer 'voluntarily' if the figures are good

I have some email records dating back to the abandonment of Choirworks in 2003, including the official 'reason' why it was axed. Either it was a pretext in the first place or another policy u-turn by Radio 3 managers. I'll post some facts later.